Cheney misses mark on first Edwards meeting

Cheney remark misses mark on first time he met Edwards

THOMAS FITZGERALD, Knight Ridder Tribune News

Published 5:30 am, Thursday, October 7, 2004

ENGLEWOOD, COLO. - At first, it seemed like it might go down in history as one of those killer debate moments: Vice President Dick Cheney, who presides over the Senate, said he'd never met Sen. John Edwards until their encounter Tuesday night in Cleveland.

"I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session," said Cheney, turning to Edwards, D-N.C., whom he faulted for skipping lots of votes. "The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."

But within an hour, Democrats circulated photographs and video snippets showing Edwards and Cheney standing next to each other on the dais at the Feb. 1, 2001, National Prayer breakfast.

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"Thank you very much. Congressman Watts, Senator Edwards, friends across the country and distinguished visitors to our country from all over the world, Lynne and I are honored to be with you all this morning," Cheney said, according to a transcript.

Edwards also met Cheney at the ceremonial swearing-in of Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., on Jan. 8, 2003, according to newspaper accounts.

The vice presidential candidates also met and shook hands, off camera, during a taping of NBC's Meet the Press in April of 2001, the show's host, Tim Russert, said Wednesday on Today.

Cheney aides said Wednesday that his comment merely pointed up a larger truth: that Edwards has often been absent from his Senate duties.

During 2003, as he was beginning his run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Edwards missed 38 percent of the 459 roll-call votes. He's missed all 45 votes held since Sen. John Kerry named him as his running mate in July.

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